West Aussie designer honoured

There are few fashion labels that have been dressing Australian women as successfully and as long as Liz Davenport.

Elizabeth Anne Davenport has spent the past 35 years as one of Australia's most successful fashion designers and businesswomen.

One of only a handful of Australian designers to receive the highest fashion accolade, a Grand Award from the Fashion Industries of Australia, the West Australian can now add the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) to her long list of accomplishments.

She has been awarded the OAM for her service to the fashion industry and the community.

"I thought how wonderful, it was all worth it," Davenport said.

"It gives you more confidence to do more and do it better."

Davenport said the award made her particularly proud because it recognised not only her fashion work but also her community involvement through various initiatives including the Women of Achievement Award, which she established to recognise women's contribution to society.

She became the founding director and fashion designer of the Liz Davenport brand in 1972 and launched her first signature collection in 1975.

For almost a decade, Davenport has also been working with her daughters Katie and Jane on the fashion label.

Davenport said the fashion industry had developed considerably since the 1970s when fashion was "very specific" about what was "in" and what was "out".

"In today's world, if you go somewhere there is actually no fashion, you can wear whatever you like," she said.

"But women still have a long way to go to get the confidence in themselves to wear what they want and not worry about the image projected for them to aspire to."

Davenport said women still felt pressure to meet the "impossible" standards set by celebrities like Angelina Jolie who appeared to be so perfect.

"You've got people who just have feelings of inadequacy that are insurmountable," she said.

But Davenport said that with the changes in fashion and the lack of "protocol" about what one must wear to any occasion, it did allow women to experiment and push the boundaries and, importantly, feel comfortable within themselves.